Vengeance
by heyits.reagan
Summary: He does not want to get even, he wants to win. And he will. He will finally get his vengeance. (Rated T for violence)
1. prologue

_**prologue**_

At three o'clock sharp Wednesday afternoon, a live video disrupted every TV channel and cell phone signal in Swellview.

Charlotte and Jasper sat in english class when everybody's phones began talking at the same time. The TV over the teacher's desk sprung to live and a hooded face filled the screen. Across town, Ray and Schwoz gathered around the monitors in the Man Cave curiously. Few streets over, Siren and her husband Jake were preparing dinner. Jake called her over frantically as the video began to play on their television.

"Citizens of Swellview," the hooded man said, "you thought you were rid of me, didn't you?" His voice was unrecognizable; it made the teens shudder. "Well, you are not. I've got a surprise for all of you, specifically everybody's favorite superhero."

Charlotte and Jasper glanced at each other across the isle; they had a bad feeling of where this was going.

The man stepped away from the camera. He stood in a room of tattered walls and dusty floors. Sloppy graffiti was painted across the room and a single light hung from the ceiling, gently swaying back and forth.

Swellview's hearts dropped when the man stepped out of frame. Charlotte gasped. Jasper's stomach jumped to his throat. Schwoz stared. The color drained from Ray's face.

Kid Danger raised his head slowly and blinked at the camera. He was bound to a chair, ropes wrapped around his chest and ankles. His uniform was dirty and torn in some places. Blood streaked his cheeks, bruises were painted down his neck, and there were tears in his eyes.

He clenched his jaw and stared into the camera. He refused to let his tears fall, not with everybody watching.

"Captain Man," the stranger began, walking behind Kid Danger and grabbing the boy's shoulders, smirking as the boy hissed in pain, "you have twenty-four hours to find us before I bury your precious sidekick six feet under."

While the man walked toward the camera, Kid Danger began to speak. "Don't worry about me," he said. "I'm okay." He tried to reassure his friends, but the tremble in his voice gave his secret away.

They need to worry; he wasn't okay. He was actually very far from it.

"That's enough out of you," the man spat, punching the boy in the mouth.

Jasper jumped. Charlotte covered her eyes; her stomach churned painfully. Ray grit his teeth.

Kid Danger glowered. He spat at the man, blood splattering across the hood.

"I'll deal with you in a minute." As the man turned, the viewers caught a quick glimpse of Kid Danger's bloody grin. "Tick-tock, Captain Man. His time is running out."

The video ended with a painful scream from one of the city's beloved heroes, something that'll haunt the citizens of Swellview for weeks.


	2. one

Tuesday was a late night.

Charlotte and Jasper left Junk 'N Stuff around eight. As Henry was grabbing his stuff to head home, multiple alerts lit up the monitors like a Christmas tree.

Ray suggested they split up, hoping to cover more ground and get done faster. Henry agreed with zero hesitation; he longed for sleep in his bed.

"Be careful," Captain Man said before they entered the tubes. He was reluctant to leave the boy not because he didn't believe in Henry, but because the pair had never split up before.

"Always," the teen promised with a grin. Everything would be fine, he was sure.

Kid Danger could handle a few petty thieves.

•••••

He was impressed by how much Kid Danger had grown over the years.

Gone was the overexcited child who was nervous to engage in battle. A confident (perhaps cocky) teenager stood in his place, moving faster than he could blink and taking down men twice his size.

"Woo," Kid Danger cheered quietly when the last guy fell. He pointed a lazy hand toward the road. "Now I can go home and sleep." His cheek throbbed painfully. One of his opponents had gotten a lucky shot in Kid Danger's blind side and easily knocked a filling lose.

"Not quite."

Kid Danger groaned, spinning toward the source of the voice.

"Oh, c'mon," he whined. "I have school in like seven hours."

A hooded person stepped out of the shadows. He was a towering figure with broad shoulders and a black bandana over his nose and mouth.

Kid Danger took a step back, raising his fists in a defensive stance. "Who're you?" he demanded. His gut told him to turn and run, but his superhero instincts were ordering him to stay. Kid Danger glanced at the watch wrapped around his wrist; he considered calling for backup.

The stranger ripped away his bandana and tore off his hood. Pieces of skin around his mouth were missing and his lips were gray, lacking any indication of life. His hair was gone and a nasty web of scars spiraled across his scalp. Kid Danger's stomach dropped.

"I am _Doctor Minyak_."

The young hero stared for a moment. Minyak's voice lacked its British charm. It was now deep and raspy, like he suffered a cold. As he neared the boy, Kid Danger noticed Minyak's eyes were no longer brown. The right was white and foggy while the left had an amber tint that glowed under the street light.

Despite the way his heart was racing, Kid Danger laughed; he couldn't help it.

"Dude, no way," he said, shaking his head. "You're too edgy to be Minyak. Guy's kinda a joke."  
A hand shot out and grabbed the boy's neck. Kid Danger's laughter turned into a strangled wheeze. He gasped and clawed at the grip, choking on the air supply that was quickly being cut off. His face burned beneath the mask and his head began to pound. Black spots danced across his vision.

"How's this for a joke?" Minyak spat. He shoved the boy to the ground. Kid Danger rolled over his stomach, gingerly touching the tender skin as he coughed and heaved.

The teen's fingers trembled as he reached for his watch. He needed help. There was no way he could beat Minyak on his own, not this time.

 _Ray's not gonna let me hear the end of this_ , Kid Danger thought bitterly.

Minyak stormed forward, kicking the boy in the face. Kid Danger's body fell limp before him, the blond's head rolling to the side as his eyes fell shut.

"I'm afraid you won't be going to school today."

•••••

Ray returned to the Man Cave at two in the morning. He moved sluggishly as he got ready for bed. Despite the fact that he was constantly fighting crime, Ray wasn't used to being up so late. It was way past his bedtime.

Before he turned in for the night, he called Henry on his phone. The dial tone rang three times before Henry's voicemail picked up.

"Hey kid," Ray said, kicking off his shoes, "just making sure you got back okay, but you're probably already asleep. See you tomorrow, buddy."

 _click_

Ray switched his phone to silent and plugged it into his charger.

And he fell asleep, unaware of what was happening on the other side of town.


	3. two

Piper's teacher turned the video off when Kid Danger was revealed. Some kids began to cry on sight at the battered hero. Piper rolled her eyes, grumpy that she couldn't watch the rest.

"Wimps," she muttered, scowling at the crybabies around her. Although the sight made her just as uneasy, she couldn't break down like the rest of them. She had a reputation to uphold, after all.

By the time she got home from school, the video was everywhere. It was trending on every social media website Piper turned to. Her parents were talking about it, too.

"I don't know how I feel about someone like that being in our city," Siren said, pulling a pizza from the oven.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Captain Man is all over it," Jake reassured.

"Probably. Poor Kid Danger, he looked terrible." Siren shook her head, eyebrows creasing with worry as she began to set the table.

"I didn't get to watch the whole thing," Piper complained, dropping on the couch. "The stupid kids in my class couldn't get through it without crying."

"Maybe that was for the best," Siren reasoned. "It was very graphic."

"I still wanted to see it," Piped grumbled.

"I'm sure it's online somewhere."

"Jake!"

"What? She's going to find it anyways!"

Oh, yeah. She had forgotten that the video was all over the internet. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she began searching. It wasn't hard to find, not with _Kid Danger captured_ and _Kid Danger hostag_ e popping up first after she only typed the letter K.

She chose the first video that came up. It had been viewed over one million times in the past hour already.

"Citizens of Swellview…" Piper turned the volume up, drowning out her parents' conversations. She tried to figure out who the man was, but his voice threw her off. It was dark and horrifying and should be unforgettable, yet she couldn't place it.

Even though she had seen Kid Danger's state already, a chill still ran down her spine when he was revealed.

"Captain Man, you have twenty-four hours to find us before I bury your precious sidekick six feet under."

"Don't worry about me," Kid Danger said as the villain walked away. "I'm okay."

Funny, he sounded just like Henry when he got into that fight when they were younger.

 _Wait a second._

Piper thought back to Halloween a few years back. Henry was dressed as the blue ninja turtle and Jasper was the red one. Piper remembered some kids from Henry's school making fun of him and Jasper. She couldn't remember much, just that punches were thrown and Henry went home that night with a black eye.

Piper had been uncharacteristically worried that whole time, even suggesting they turn in early. She felt bad that his night had been ruined, but he shrugged her off.

"Eh, don't worry about me," he had said, waving his hand carelessly. "I'm okay. 'Least they didn't take my candy."

 _Smack_

Piper jumped. The stranger had just punched Kid Danger.

"That's enough out of you," the man spat. The bloody grin Kid Danger flashed behind the stranger's back made Piper gasp.

"Tick tock, Captain Man. His time is running out."

She cut the video before Kid Danger's pained screams could haunt her. The Halloween incident replayed in her head over and over. With a frown, she dragged the video back to the near beginning when Kid Danger was shown off. She paused the video and leaned back, studying the boy's face. He was the same person she'd been watching for the past four years. There was nothing different about him.

Yet at the same time, there were a lot of things different about him. Kid Danger reminded her of Henry, something she never even considered. They were both blond and about the same size. Piper leaned forward, squinting at his face. He and Henry almost looked similar in facial features, too.

And the more she thought about it, the more things seemed to make sense. Why Henry was always home late, why he was always so secretive about anything involving his job, why he sometimes came home with a limp or a bruise that he never liked explaining…

Her phone slipped out of her hands as realization crept in.

With her heart heavy with dread, she raced upstairs. For the first time in her life, she hoped to God she was wrong.

•••••

Schwoz frantically swiveled around the control panel, each monitor displaying a radar scanning different areas. Ray was sitting at a table, a troubled look on his face as he cleaned a pistol. Charlotte and Jasper were a bit thrown off at first; they didn't think Ray had any actual guns. Blasters and lasers sure, those things can only stun, numb, or momentarily knock somebody out. But a gun? Those do nothing but hurt and kill.

Up until that point, the idea of Captain Man killing someone just didn't fit. There was a certain look in his eye that day, though.

"Schwoz, please tell me you're working on finding Henry," Charlotte begged. She pressed her thumb to her mouth, ready to nervously chew another layer off her nail when she realized her nails had resorted to nubs only half an hour earlier.

"I'm tracing everything I phone, watch, traffic cams…"

"Any luck?" Jasper asked hopefully."

Schwoz shook his head slowly. "Not yet." He frowned as the kids' shoulder slumped with disappointment. He wished so badly he could tell them something different, at least something to reassure them, but the situation seemed hopeless at the moment.

Charlotte leaned on the table in front of Ray. "You haven't said anything yet."

Ray tilted the gun forward and stared down the barrel of the gun. "I don't know what to say," he admitted. Laying the gun on the table, he leaned back with a sigh and dragged his hand down his face. "Every time I think about Henry, I'm reminded that it's my fault."

Jasper shook his head. "It's not your fault, Ray. You couldn't have known-"

"It was my idea to split up," Ray interrupted sharply. "If I had stayed with him, this wouldn't have happened."

Charlotte pulled her lower lip between her teeth. Just then, an alarm went off. Schwoz sat back in surprise. "Is a video call," he announced.

Slowly, Charlotte approached the monitors. What if it was the mysterious man with another message? What if he wanted to gloat about having Kid Danger as a hostage?

A face appeared on the gritty screen. Charlotte lurched forward, a smile spreading across her face when she realized it was Kid Danger.

"Henry!" she cried. Jasper and Ray rushed over, faces falling with relief when they saw the screens.

"Hey," Henry smiled. There were dry blood stains beneath his nose and a cut under his left eye. His mask was torn at the edge and half of a large bruise could be seen on the side of his neck.

"Are you okay?" Ray asked. He leaned on the back of Schwoz's chair.

"I've…" He laughed softly. "I've definitely been better." He was trying to lighten the mood, but it was hard when the humor didn't reach his eyes.

"Who's doing this?" Jasper asked.

Henry's smile fell. "Dr. Minyak."

Ray narrowed his eyes. "No way. I mean… I thought we defeated him for good two months ago."

Henry shook his head slowly. "You wouldn't be able to recognize him, but it's him." There was a noise in the background. Henry looked at something off screen. "He's back." Glancing back at his friends, he pleaded, "Please tell me you guys know where I am."

"You don't?" Charlotte questioned.

"The only thing I know is that I'm in an abandoned gas station in the middle of nowhere."

Schwoz suddenly leapt to his feet, throwing his hands in the air. "Found him!"

Ray sighed with relief. He smiled at the teen, promising, "I'm coming to get you, Henry."

Henry nodded. "I know. Just… Hurry."

"How did you free yourself?!" Minyak shouted.

Henry lowered his arm and turned toward the man. Minyak's hood was down and his bandana was gone. The picture was blurry, but the team could barely make him out. Charlotte noted Minyak's loss of hair and frowned, wondering what had happened.

"Who're you talking you?" the scientist demanded, surging forward. The world moved in a blur as Henry raised his arm to defend himself. Then, the screen cut to black.

Ray spun around, grabbing his gun from the table and pouring a piece of gum into his hand. "I'm ending this today."

Jasper looked back at him. "Wha-Wait, you're not gonna…" He watched the man load the gun with ammo.

Ray sighed. "Putting him in jail has proven useless. Clearly, we need a more permanent solution. Besides, he kidnapped Henry." He narrowed his eyes. "I'm not just about to let him get away with that."

Charlotte stepped forward hesitantly. She and Jasper still looked unsure. Ray didn't like it anymore than they did. "Trust me," he pleaded.

"Just bring him home," Charlotte said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ray nodded and blew a bubble. After his transformation, he raced to the tube platform and pressed his belt buckle. The tube dropped down over him. He looked at the kids and Schwoz who stared back with concern.

Jasper pulled Charlotte into a side hug when he heard her sniff. That only fueled Ray's anger. These kids were too young to have to deal with anything like this.

He was going to make Minyak pay. That, he could promise.

"Up the tube."

•••••

Henry's watch crushed under Minyak's foot.

"Doesn't matter," Henry sneered as the man neared him, "Captain Man's coming for you."

"I don't care."

"You should, he looked pretty ticked off."

Minyak smirked. " _Good_."


	4. three

"You know, I've been wondering," Kid Danger began, rolling his head to look at Minyak, "where's your hot nurse?" He sat slumped against what used to be a freezer. For the first time that day, engaging in a fight with Minyak didn't result in him gaining more injuries. Maybe it was the small conversation he had with his friends or the reassurance of knowing that Captain Man was on his way that Kid Danger actually won the fight. He made sure Minyak's face was as bloodied as his own had been a few hours earlier. It felt good too, giving the man a taste of his own medicine. Although the situation was still bad and Kid Danger's body still ached to move, he felt okay for just a moment.

"She's gone," Minyak spat.

"Gone like dead or gone like she realized you're a creep and finally made a run for it?" Kid Danger grinned as anger fell over the scientist's face.

"I could kill you so easily." Minyak raised the knife he'd been using for the past twelve hours. He didn't clean it from the last use, so the tip was still stained with red.

"Yeah," Kid Danger agreed, "I know. This is the first time you've ever been a little bit close to winning. How's it feel?"

Minyak growled. He launched the knife and it cartwheeled through the air before sticking into the wood right next to the boy's ear. Kid Danger tilted his head away, struggling to keep his cool as he gently ran his fingers over his ear. There was no blood, thankfully.

"Nice throw," Kid said with a rugged breath. He reached behind him, wincing as he yanked the knife out of the wall. He smudged his thumbs across the tip, scrunching his nose in disgust.

 _Could be worse, I guess_ , he thought. _Could be someone_ _ **else's**_ _blood_.

"So, what happened to your face?" Kid asked, meeting Minyak's discolored eyes.

"Why should I tell you?" Minyak growled.

"Well," the teen tapped the floor with the knife softly, "Captain Man's on his way and you're going down for sure, so you might as well tell me the tragic accident before you're thrown in jail again."

Minyak rolled his eyes. "I've been experimenting on myself to try and reclaim the voice _you_ stole from me."

"Actually, _we_ didn't-"  
"I don't care _who_ shot me. If you and Captain Man hadn't shown up in the first place, neither of us would be in this mess."

"You were trying to attack Double G!"

"I was trying to prove to the world that I could achieve at something!" Minyak bellowed, pushing out of the chair and knocking it to the ground. His voice echoed through the small store and pieces of dust fluttered on their heads.

Kid Danger climbed to his feet slowly, chewing on his lip painfully at the soreness in all of his muscles. He felt a bit dizzy. Oh, what he wouldn't give for a few ibuprofens.

"I've had to endure months of dangerous experiments that could have killed me just to fix what that brat did."

"She was protecting her friends," Kid Danger growled.

"I don't care! My hair is gone, there are dark spots in my vision-"

The blond pursed his lips. He had to admit, "You've got pretty good aim for a half blind guy."

Minyak grit his teeth. "Considering I've spent every waking moment of the last two months _training_ , I should. My mouth is hanging on by a threat and I can't eat solid foods anymore." Minyak stomped forward, reaching into a pocket inside his jacket.

Kid Danger rocked on his toes, turning the knife in his hand slowly as he watched the man wearily. It reminded him of training with Ray in the Man Cave. Sometimes, they would spar with batons in place of weapons like knives. Ray always had a different defense. Sometimes, it was a baton, other times it was a stun gun that paralyzed Henry for two hours (Ray and Schwoz always got a kick out of that).

Minyak surged forward, swiping at the boy. Kid jumped back, the blade narrowly missing his chest. Baton training it is. He inwardly groaned. Used to, baton training was a pain because Henry was always too slow. His superpowers helped tremendously since, but he could feel the energy draining. He moved fast enough, but only just. One second slower and he'd have a fresh wound.

"I'm going to kill you," Minyak growled, "then Captain Man."

"You've never been able to beat him," Kid taunted, stumbling out of the way of an upward slash. "How long have you guys been fighting now? Long before I came along, I think. You've been losing for a while, what makes you think you'll win now?"

"Because you're running out of energy, boy. All I have to do is wear you out and-"

Something barreled through the front door, shattering the glass and landing at Minyak's feet. It was a brick with a corner chipped off. Minyak glanced behind him and stared questionably at the broken door.

"Ha!" Kid yelled. He raced forward, swinging at Minyak's hand with his knife. The blade cut straight through Minyak's thumb, slicing it clean off. It bounced across the floor and rolled to a stop at Kid Danger's boot. Minyak threw his head back, howling in pain as he cradled his hand to his chest.

Kid Danger froze. His knife slipped from his grasp and clattered against the floor. He opened and closed hi mouth, unable to look away from what laid at his feet. He squeaked in surprise, a hand flying to his mouth as he stumbled back.

"Kid Danger!" Captain Man hollered, pushing through the shattered door. "Kid, are you-" He stopped, taking in the scene before him. Kid pulled at his hair, staring at Minyak whose back faced Captain Man. The only noise was the horrific screaming coming from Minyak's trembling figure.

For a split second, Captain Man actually thought Minyak was dying. His stomach dropped and his mouth dried. A million thoughts began running through his head as he tried to figure out the best way to deal with the fact that _Henry killed Minyak_.

Then, Minyak reached for Kid Danger. His thumb was missing and globs of blood oozed in its place.

"Whoa," Captain Man breathed, partially from relief. "Ah, yikes, wasn't expecting that…"

Kid Danger looked at Captain Man. "I-I just… his thumb… I cut off his t-thumb…"

"It's okay," Captain Man said softly. He stepped forward, gently grabbing the boy's arm and pulling him away. Kid couldn't process anything because _he cut off Minyak's finger_. It was at his feet, right there, so _close_.

"Can you ma-Hey, Kid." Captain Man blocked the boy's view. "Can you make it to the car?"

"I-I…" The teen swallowed, snapping back to reality. He nodded. "Y-Yeah."

Captain Man watched the blond limp his way to the car. He waited until the door shut before he turned to Minyak, who had climbed to his feet and now faced the masked superhero. His hands balled into fists at his sides.

"Captain Man," Minyak sneered, "long time no see."

Despite how the fact that his heart was racing and his shoulders were trembling and he could only see pure _red_ when he stared at the scientist, Captain Man played a smirk on his face. "Boy, he really did a number on you. Made your already ugly face even uglier."

Minyak rolled his eyes. "Oh, real mature. Look, even if you kill me or whatever you plan to do, it doesn't matter. I've already got my revenge, even if it wasn't on you directly."

"Kid's still alive."

"Yes, but he's not the same Kid Danger you knew two days ago. He will never be the same again."

Captain Man slammed his fist in Minyak's face. Minyak was knocked off his feet and a crack rippled through the air.

"You're not going to bother anyone ever again."

"Is that a threat or a promise?"

Captain Man glowered. Minyak grinned.


	5. four

The Man Cave was quiet when the pair returned. Charlotte and Jasper were slumped on the couch, passed out. Jasper's cheek rested on top of Charlotte's head, which rested on his shoulder.

Henry grinned. Quietly, he crept over to the couch and snapped a picture of the two. He turned to Ray, waving his phone through the air as he whispered, "Blackmail."

Ray snickered. He pulled his own phone out of his pocket and dialed Schwoz's number. Ass he listened to the dial tone ring, he watched Henry. The blond stumbled to the snack machine and ordered a bowl of spaghetti.

"Hey, we're back. He's okay, but I need you to check his injuries. Kay." He hung up as Henry returned, strings of spaghetti hanging from his lips. Ray raised an eyebrow. "You're disgusting."

"I'm hungry," Henry defended.

Ray shook his head. "Whatever. C'mon, Schwoz is gonna check you over."

Henry looked away and slurped the last of the spaghetti in his mouth. "Um, okay. What about Jasper and Charlotte?"

"Let 'em sleep. We'll wake them when we're done." Ray reached for Henry's shoulder to steer the boy toward the infirmary. Henry flinched, ducking out of Ray's grasp and putting distance between the two.

At the concerned look, Henry smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, uh…" He couldn't come up with a good excuse. Ray held his arms out and took a step back.

"S'okay. C'mon." He lead the way up the stairs to the infirmary. Henry followed a few steps behind, close by but safely far away.

•••••

"You only have a broken nose, I think," Schwoz said. He held Kid Danger's mask in his hands, running his fingers over the tattered and torn material.

"You _think_?" Henry repeated, watching the small man uneasily.

"Well, if you'd let me see any place but your face, I'd have a better answer."

"Schwoz," Ray warned. He stood next to the bed Henry sat on, arms crossed over his chest. Schwoz glanced at his boss briefly before Ray's glare scared him off.

Henry glanced looked between the two, noting Ray's harsh glare but opting to remain quiet. He knew Ray was just being protective. "I'm sorry," the teen sighed. "It's just… I know it's gonna be bad. I don't want to see it, and I don't want anybody else to see it, either."

Ray and Schwoz exchanged looks. "Okay…" Ray said said, rubbing his chin, "but you still need to let him check you. I don't want you passing out in a couple days 'cause of a broken rib or something."

Henry scrunched his nose. "I don't think I have a broken rib."

Ray cocked an eyebrow at him. "Oh, you've had a broken rib before?"

"Well, no."

"So how do you know your rib isn't broken?"

Henry pursed his lips. He narrowed his eyes at his boss before looking away, mumbling under his breath. Henry sighed. "Okay Schwoz, let's go."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Ray teased, stepping out of Schwoz's way and snickering. Henry rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at the man.

"You two are children," Schwoz said, shaking his head.

"Oh, you're one to talk," Henry argued, grinning at him. Schwoz bit back a smile as he placed his hands against Henry's sides.

"Kaykay, deep breath." Henry sucked in a breath of air, focusing on a dent in the wall in front of him as Schwoz pressed against his ribs. Henry winced, squeezing his eyes shut.

"You okay?" Ray questioned.

"Er, yeah, just sore." He cracked an eye open. "Definitely _not_ a broken rib."

Schwoz pursed his lips. "He right."

"HA!" Henry cheered.

Ray scoffed. "Alright, alright. Schwoz, go wake up Charlotte and Jasper." He grabbed a rolling stool from the corner and sat on it. As he pushed himself in front of Henry, he added, "We'll be out in a minute."

Schwoz nodded and scurried out, shutting the door quietly behind him. Ray leaned against the wall, crossing his ankles and resting his hands on his stomach. Henry chewed on his lip. "We're gonna have a heart-to-heart now, aren't we?" the teen asked, looking from the door to his boss.

Ray shrugged. "We probably should."

"Okay, then I'll start." Henry pulled crossed his legs on the bed and leaned forward on his knees. "I'm sorry."

The man shook his head. "No, that's not how this is gonna go."

"But… I let my guard down. I shouldn't have let somebody like Minyak beat me. He just…" Henry's hands found their way to his neck, finger gently dragging across the purple skin. "He caught me off guard."

"I don't blame you for any of this. Don't you dare think this is your fault."

"Why didn't my hyper motility work? I should've been able to block anything he threw at me."

Ray sighed. "Look, it was a late night. You were taken by surprise. Happens to the best of us."

Henry frowned. His eyes dropped to the floor as his fingers gingerly touched the sensitive skin around his neck. "What happened to him?"

Ray rubbed his face, his gaze trailing around the room. "I, uh… I took care of him."

"Took care of him like…?"

"Took care of him like he won't be bothering anyone ever again. That's all you need to know."

There was a defensive side to Ray's firm answer. Henry looked at him; his suspicions were confirmed. Back at the gas station, when Henry was safely inside the van, he thought he'd heard something like a gunshot. He _swore_ he had, but Ray brushed him off, claiming the boy was just tired. The way Ray beat around the answer at that moment though made everything clear.

Ray killed Minyak.

A shudder ran down the teen's spine.

The thought of one of Henry's closest friends actually killing someone frightened him. He didn't want to believe it. However, this was Captain Man they're talking about. Captain Man, the hero of Swellview. Ray Manchester, one of the few people Henry trusts with everything.

Henry knew Ray wouldn't have killed Minyak unless it was the last resort. He trusted the man well enough to push aside any thoughts that Ray murdered the scientist just because he was mad. It just wasn't in Ray's nature, no matter how much he hated the person.

"Okay," Henry agreed softly. _Okay, I know you really didn't want to do that so I won't ask anymore questions. Okay, I know that that was the only right thing to do. Okay, I trust you, dude_.

Ray jumped to his feet, the silence making him impatient. He hated silences, especially ones like that when something bad has happened and nobody knows what to say so you just sit and look around. They always made him squirm, anxious to get up and find something to distract him.

"Are you ready to see Charlotte and Jasper?"

Henry's heart dropped at the idea. "I…"

 _Please_ , Ray begged silently. He wasn't good at the whole comforting thing. He much preferred saving the people and leaving rather than sticking around to make sure they're actually okay. There were other people in the world who could do that. Charlotte and Jasper could do that. Ray rescued Henry, patched him up, made sure he was okay _physically_. The emotional baggage that usually followed a traumatic event made him uncomfortable.

But then, Ray _looked_ at the boy. He notice the way Henry's hands shook in his lap and how his shoulders were hunched over and the bags under his eyes that gave away just how long it'd been since he slept.

"You don't have to yet," Ray said. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest "Take your time."

"I want to," Henry argued, "I'm just afraid of what they'll do. I don't wanna see anybody cry." He squeezed his fingers into fists, hoping they'll stop shaking.

"That's fine. You wanna rest for a bit? I'll come get you later."

Henry nodded slowly, gently rubbing his eyes. He pushed himself up the bed and laid down on a pillow Ray'd just slipped over his head. Henry stared at the ceiling, rubbing his thumbs over his knuckles.

Before Ray left, he lingered in the doorway and asked, "Light on or off?" His hand hovered over the switch, waiting for the okay to flip them off.

To his surprise though, "On." Ray dropped his hand with a nod. He pulled the door halfway behind him and headed down the hall, leaving a sweet silence that Henry actually welcomed.


	6. five

Henry stared at himself in the mirror planted to the back of the door. His chest was a canvas of messy blacks and blues. A bandage wrapped firmly around his torso, probably to hold those "broken" ribs of his in place. Dark bags resided under his eyes and his cheeks were off color in some places.

He looked terrible, but he couldn't stop staring. He thought that maybe if he squeezed his eyes shut for five seconds or pinched himself or something that it'd all go away. However, every time he was met with the chilling reality.

Henry had been held hostage. For twelve hours, he was a prisoner. It didn't matter how many times he told himself what really happened, he still couldn't wrap his head around everything.

The door handle began to click and turn. Frantic, he pulled his shirt down and stumbled back into the bed. Ray poked his head in, then he opened the door all the way and smiled at the boy.

"Morning," he greeted. Ray handed a bottle of water to Henry along with a few ibuprofen.

"It's morning?" Henry asked, tossing the pills to the back of his throat and taking a long swing of water. The water was cold and felt amazing on his raw throat.

"It's about one AM; that's kinda morning, right?" Henry smiled halfheartedly. Ray crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the boy. "How're you feeling?"

Henry shrugged. He capped his water and held it in his hands, enjoying the coldness against his hot skin. "Fine, I guess." He didn't want to mention how his throat hurt every time he spoke. "Starving."

"You feel like heading down to the snack machine?"  
The teen nodded. He pushed to his feet and made his way to the door, very aware of the way Ray watched his every move.

"I'm fine," Henry reassured, glancing at Ray as they walked down the hall.

Ray rolled his eyes; he didn't believe a single word. "Okay."

"I _am_."

"I said okay, didn't I?"

"Yeah," Henry narrowed his eyes, "but you _sounded_ like you didn't believe me."

Ray shook his head and pressed a button. The wall popped open and the two walked through. Charlotte and Jasper were sitting on the couch, talking to Schwoz.

"They're still here?" Henry asked softly, turning to Ray.

"They never left." He gently pushed Henry to the snack machine and leaned against the wall as the boy ordered.

"Mashed potatoes," Henry said, pressing his fingers to the screen.

Ray shot him a weird look. The machine repeated, "Mashed potatoes."

The trio at the couch turned, eyes widening to the size of golfballs when they spotted their friends.

"Henry!" Charlotte and Jasper gasped. They climbed over the couch and raced to their friend. Ray pushed off the wall and stood in front of Henry, waving his hands to stop the eager teenagers.

"Calm down," he said firmly. He didn't use that tone very often, so it stopped the kids in their tracks. Henry glanced at Ray as he ate a spoonful of mashed potatoes. Swallowing, he stepped around his boss and smiled at his friends.

"Hi," he greeted. Charlotte and Jasper beamed.

"Hey," the replied.

Schwoz caught Ray's eye and motioned the man across the room. As Ray left, Charlotte tentatively stepped forward.

"Will it hurt if I hug you?" she asked softly.

Henry opened his arms. "Just not too hard."

Charlotte rushed forward, wrapping her arms around him gently. She buried her face in his chest as her eyes began to water. Jasper rested a hand on Henry's shoulder. Henry blinked and for a moment, he was back in that room and Minyak was showing him off to the city. Subconsciously, Henry shifted away and Jasper's hand slipped off his shoulder.

"Sorry," Henry whispered upon seeing Jasper's hurt.

"Don't worry about it, buddy. 'M just glad you're back."

Ray crossed his arms over his chest as he peered down at Schwoz. "What's up?"

"Give the kids some space, Ray," Schwoz scolded, gaze jumping from his boss to the teens. "Dey are just vorried 'bout Henry."

"I know," Ray sighed.

"You're taking 'im home in da morning, yes?"

Ray nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess so." He was reluctant to let the kid out of his sight. If he had it his way, he'd make Henry stay in the Man Cave an extra day just to be sure he was alright. But, there were others who were worried about the kid. Ray imagined his parents were quite panicked as well, seeing as they hadn't seen their son in a day or so.

Henry sat on the platform beside the snack machine. His bowl of mashed potatoes was running low as he listened to the stuff he'd missed at school.

"Have you guys talked to my parents?" Henry asked when the conversation died off.

"Schwoz did," Charlotte confirmed.

"He did?"

"Yeah! He has this headband thing that can make him sound like anybody he wants," Jasper explained. "Your parents think you're staying at my house."

Henry nodded slowly. "I can't wait to go home."

Charlotte sat next to him. "Not much longer, Hen."

The blond leaned forward and ordered another round of mashed potatoes. Jasper laughed, "Someone's having cravings."

Henry made a face and chuckled, ignoring the way his throat ached. Quietly, he explained, "My throat kinda hurts."

Jasper and Charlotte exchanged looks. His throat was the only part of his injuries that everybody else could see. It took everything in the kids' power not to stare. Henry's throat was covered in a pattern of bruises that took the shape of fingers. It didn't take much to figure out what had happened. Henry had been too quiet about that injury, not even admitting to _Ray_ that he'd been choked.

"I wanna go home," Henry said. "You think it's too late to do that?"

Charlotte shrugged. "I'm sure you've snuck in later."

"That's true. Someone get Ray."

Jasper turned and called for the man. Henry scooped another spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth. He didn't want to risk raising his voice and hearing it crack under the pressure.

"What's up? You okay?" Ray asked, making his way to them.

"When can I go home?" Henry questioned, peering up at his boss. "Can I go now?"

Ray pulled his lower lip between his teeth. He wanted to object and insist the boy stay until morning, but Henry stared at him with pleading eyes, and Ray always had trouble saying no to them.

"Sure kid," Ray sighed. Henry smiled. "You two," the boss said, pointing at Charlotte and Jasper, "grab your stuff. I'll drop you off."

•••••

Ray didn't allow Henry to climb the tree to Henry's bedroom window. So, Henry was forced to go in through the front door. He was met with a quiet living room, mostly dark expect for a stove light in the kitchen. Henry heard Ray drive off after the door shut and then he was truly alone.

Quickly, he raced up the stairs and down the hall. He stayed close to one wall, knowing the floorboards in the middle creep. Henry was tired and although he wanted to see his parents, he wanted sleep even more.

His room was a sight for sore eyes. When he closed the door, he flipped his lights on and sighed, savoring the view.

"Henry?" a small voice asked. Henry jumped, stumbling away from his bed in surprise as his fists flew in front of him in a defensive stance.

Piper raised her head, squinting through the sudden brightness. She was curled up on Henry's bed, wrapped up in his covers and hugging a pillow to her chest. When she blinked a few times and could make out who stood before her, she tossed back the comforter and jumped to her feet.

"Henry!" she cried, racing toward him like a fireball.

"Shhh!" Henry shushed, holding an arm out to stop her. She froze a few feet away, looking over him. Henry was weary, wondering what she'd do next.

To his surprise, she began to cry. "I thought you weren't coming home," she sobbed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Henry stood still for a moment, utterly confused. Piper rarely cried, much less for _him_.

"I was just at Jasper's," Henry explained softly, nearing the girl with a sort of hesitance.

Piper looked conflicted. She began to say something, but stopped herself. "I called you a million times. Why didn't you answer?"

It was then that Henry realized he had no idea where his phone went. Ray might've taken it so it wouldn't disturb the boy.

"It died and I didn't have a charger," Henry explained. He knelt in front of her, now concerned. Why was his sister so upset? She never cared for him so much before. "I was just at Jasper's, Pipes. I didn't know you cared so much."

"You're my brother!" she cried. "Of course I care, idiot!"

Henry leaned forward, pulling his little sister in his arms. She cried into his shoulder, muttering, "I thought you weren't coming home."

Henry knew there was way more to this than what he was seeing. Piper never worried this much for him, ever. Not to the point where she was crying her eyes out.

"I'm home now, though," he whispered, rubbing her back. "I'm here. It's okay, Pipes. Shh. It's okay."

•••••

The next morning, Siren went to wake her kid for school. She went straight to Henry's room, knowing her daughter had been spending quite a bit of time in there. Siren was confused, but she let it slide. It wasn't every day that Piper wanted to be close to Henry without fighting.

"Piper honey, time for-"

Siren froze, eyes wide. She stared at her son's bed, too shocked to think properly. Henry lay sound asleep on his back, arm loosely wrapped around Piper, who was using her brother's chest as a pillow.

 _They haven't done that since they were kids_ , Siren realized.

Later, Siren will worry about the bruises around Henry's neck and why Piper had crawled into bed with him. For that moment though, she decided to let them sleep. Quietly, she pulled the door shut and headed back downstairs.


	7. epilogue

**_epilogue_**

At exactly three o'clock sharp Wednesday afternoon, Henry Hart finished his last therapy session in Metroburg.

Dr. Jensen smiled as he grabbed his backpack. "You've been an excellent house guess, Henry." Phoebe Thunderman stood in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest as she watched her friend.

"Thanks again, Dr. Jensen. You're a life saver," Phoebe said, beaming at the woman.

"Yeah," Henry agreed, "thanks for letting me stay here and everything. I think you helped me a lot."

Dr. Jensen nodded, clasping her hands at her stomach. "I'm glad to hear that. You've made some great progress is the past few days. I think you'll be okay."

Henry smiled. He looked at Phoebe and said, "Ready?"

"Yeah. Um… Chloe!" Phoebe called. Her little sister Chloe disappeared into Dr. Jensen's office when they arrived. A moment later, the little girl raced into the hallway. Phoebe held a hand out to her sister. "C'mon, we gotta take Henry home."

"Okay!" Chloe cried, jumping to a stop next to her sister. She grabbed Phoebe and Henry's hands and rocked on her heels.

"Tell your father I said hello," Dr. Jensen told the girl.

"Will do. Let's get going, Chloe. To Swellview!"

Henry was in awe as he and his friends were engulfed in bright colors. The views changed and the trio was suddenly on Henry's doorstep, a fading sun sinking over the horizon.

"That will never _not_ be cool!" Henry exclaimed, turning to grin at Phoebe.

Phoebe laughed, clasping a hand on his shoulder. She and Henry gazed through the windows beside his door. There was a light on in the kitchen; Piper was sitting at the dining table. Henry checked his phone. The time was a little after six.

"You've got this," Phoebe said, nodding at him.

"Thanks, for everything, y'know. With all the lying I knew I'd be doing anyways with my parents and stuff, it was nice to be able to talk to someone and tell the truth."

"I get it. And hey, I'm always around if you need a friend, too."

Henry nodded. "Thanks. See ya later. Bye Chloe."

Chloe grinned. "Bye bye!"

"See ya," Phoebe laughed.

They disappeared before his eyes in a cloud. Then, he was alone once more. Henry took a deep breath. He considered heading to Junk 'N Stuff, but there was nothing he missed more in that moment than his bed. Ray and Schwoz and his friends could wait until tomorrow.

Piper was in the middle of watching videos on her phone while eating a bowl of cereal. She should be doing her homework, but she was waiting for Henry. He had texted a few hours earlier, stating he'd be returning from their grandparents' soon.

She was anxious, determined to reveal to Henry what she knows. All afternoon she'd been rehearsing what she was going to say to him. Piper seemed to have trouble getting past _'I watched the video and I knew'_ before she clammed up, the images of that video flooding her brain. It was hard enough watching her favorite superhero being tortured like that, but now that she knew her brother was actually tied to that chair… She had nightmares.

"Hey," Henry called. Piper jerked, startled. The phone slipped from her hands and crashed against the floor. Her brother paused, shooting her a weird look from across the room. He laughed, "Sorry, Pipes."

"It's okay," she said. She jumped to her feet and raced across the room, cell phone already forgotten. Upon closer inspection, Piper was relieved to see that Henry looked so much better than he had a few days earlier. Gone were the dark bags under his eyes and the pale tint to his skin. The bruises that once tainted his neck in blackish shades were now fading into lighter colors. He smiled at her and it was as though none of this ever happened. He looked like he'd just returned from work and everything was right with the world.

"Are you okay?" Henry asked. "You're acting weird."

Piper shook her head. "Wha, me? I'm fine. How's grandma and grandpa?"

Henry pursed his lips, shoved his hands in his pockets, and avoided eye contact. "Er yeah, they're doing great. Still old, just like last time."

"Oh. Awesome."

 _Okay Piper_ , she thought, chewing on her lip, _do it now. Mom and dad are at the store, so it's perfect timing._

"Henry, I need to talk to you," she said.

He eyed her wearily. The serious tone was not something he was used to hearing from her. "Okay, what's up?" She was worried about something, and that made him worry. He dropped his bag next to the door and walked over to her.

Piper took a deep breath. "I know you're Kid Danger," she admitted so quickly that she wondered if what she said were words.

Henry understood, though. He froze, mouth falling open and eyes widening at her statement. Piper was nervous, tapping her foot against the ground as she waited for him to say something.

When he didn't speak, Piper continued, "I've known since the… The…" She swallowed, shaking her head. "The video."

 _The video_. Henry had forgotten that video was broadcasted live. It shouldn't surprise him that Piper watched it; Phoebe mentioned it had gone viral across the country, after all. Still, Henry hated that his little sister watched what happened to him.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," he mumbled, looking away. "It wasn't as bad as it looked, though."

In a few years when everybody can move on from the traumatic event, Piper will laugh at how horrible her brother's lying skills were. Because really, a simple glance at the way Henry acted when he returned home was enough to realize that it _was_ as bad as it looked.

Piper tilted her head. "Were you really at grandma and grandpa's?"

Henry sighed. "No. Guess I can tell you since you know my secret now." He sat on the couch, running a hand through his hair. "I was at therapy in Metroburgh."

"Where's that?"

"I dunno. I was teleported there by a small girl."

Piper stared. "This is gonna take some getting used to."

Henry snickered. "That's not even the weirdest thing, trust me."

She sat next to him, eager to learn more. The siblings spent the rest of the evening telling stories. Henry mostly talked while Piper listened, which happened to be a first in their relationship. She enjoyed spending time with him, which was also a rare occurrence.

Piper had to admit, she kind of liked it.

•••••

The next day, the elevator door slid open and Henry and his friends strolled into the Man Cave.

"I have so much homework," Henry sighed, tossing his bag to the side, "and I don't even care!" He grinned at his friends who shot him weird looks. Ray jumped up from his seat on the couch and smiled at his sidekick.

"You look better. Welcome back, kid." He clapped a hand on Henry's shoulder gently, waiting for to see if the teen would shove him off. Henry flinched, but he didn't move.

"I feel better," Henry said, nodding at his boss for confirmation. "Oh! But uh, I gotta come clean here." He stepped out of Ray's grasp and leaned against the couch. "I wasn't actually at my grandparents' place."

Ray frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Where were you, then?"

Charlotte and Jasper exchanged confused looks.

Henry explained, "I was staying with a therapist in Metroburgh. Remember Phoebe Thunderman? She helped me out."

Ray scratched his chin; he was confused. "Why'd you go all the way to Metroburgh?"

"'Cause I needed to talk to somebody, and I was tired of lying about what happened. My parents think I just got in a fight at school."

Charlotte looked away, a bit hurt. "You could've talked to us."

Henry sighed. He looked at each of his friends, a pang of guilt pulling at his heart. He knew they'd be there for him, always. He could've talked to them and stayed home, exactly where he had wanted to be since Captain Man saved him. There was just something about the way they looked at him, though, like he was glass. One wrong move and he'd shatter before them. He knew they were worried, but…

"I can't really explain it," he said and his voice was soft again, just like when he'd spoken to Charlotte and Jasper for the first time after, "but I just needed to get out of here."

For a moment, they all just stared at him. Henry's eyes fell to the floor and they stayed as the silence became suffocating. Nobody moved, nobody spoke.

Then, Charlotte stepped forward, She wrapped her arms around Henry's torso and rested her cheek against his chest. She felt his body tense at her touch, but she didn't move away. After a moment, Henry returned the hug. Another beat and Jasper was joining, gently slinging an arm around his best friend's shoulders. Ray reluctantly finished the group hug, weary about the touchy interactions. He hated stuff like this, but Henry was the most relaxed Ray had seen him in a week. So, he swallowed back his discomfort and gathered the kids in his arms.

Henry took a deep breath. His throat was still sore and his body still ached here and there. New memories were engraved into his brain, memories he wished would fade with time. Scars were carved into his skin. Henry developed a new habit of constantly looking over his shoulder.

He is not the same person that he was at the beginning of this story. He looks different, acts different, _is_ different. In a way, Dr. Minyak _did_ get his revenge. He broke down and destroyed one of his greatest rivals, a part of a duo who he despised with every ounce of his being. Dr. Minyak accomplished just as he had hoped. So, he finally won.

He lost at the same time, though. Those who are broken can be fixed. Maybe not completely, maybe not back to who they once were, but they can heal over time. There is light even in the darkest of situations. Henry's light happens to come in his friends and family. With their help, he'll get over this bump in the road and continue on, living his life the best way he can.

So Dr. Minyak may have gotten his vengeance, but so will Kid Danger.

* * *

I hope that ending made sense. I think it does. That could just be me though.

Also, I know the Metroburgh thing was random, but I couldn't stop thinking about it once it was in my head. I had forgotten that Thundermans & Henry Danger took place in the same universe. I've come up with more ideas regarding Henry & Phoebe, too (not as a couple, just friends)! Can't wait to share them :)

Thank you for the reviews and reads! I'm not great at writing torture fics, so I'm glad so many of you enjoy!

Until my next fic :D


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